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Reprinted from the Proceedings of the United 
States Naval Institute, Volume XXXI, 

No, 2, Whole No, 114. 


LION-HEARTED FLUSSER 

By CHARLES W. STEWART 



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THE PROCEEDINGS 

OF THE 

United States Naval Institute. 

Yol. XXXI, No. 2. JUNE, 1905. Whole No. 114. 


[ COPYKIGHTED. ] 

U. S. NAVAL INSTITUTE, ANNAPOLIS, MD. 

LION-HEARTED FLUSSER. 

A NAVAL HERO OF THE CIVIL WAR. 

By Charles W. Stewart. 

“ Flusser is the name to conjure with,” wrote Assistant Secretary Fox to 
Major-General Butler in 1864. 

Charles Williamson Flusser was one of the most gallant spirits 
in the War of the Rebellion. For three years, from 1861 to 1864, 
as a lieutenant and lieutenant-commander in the United States 
Navy, he rendered conspicuously gallant service in positions of 
responsibility and extreme peril, ranging from cutting-out expedi- 
tions to his mortal combat in wooden gunboats against the Con- 
federate ironclad Albemarle at Plymouth, N. C. He fell on the 
deck of his own vessel, gun-lanyard in hand, instantly killed by 
the 9-inch shell that he had fired against the enemy's sloping iron 
roof not ten feet from the muzzle of his gun. He is not great 
by reason of his tragic death, but he is conspicuously remarkable 
for the zeal, efficiency, and cheerfulness with which he served, 
under peculiarly trying circumstances, the navy and the nation; 
and for the glorious example of honor, virtue, and patriotism 
that he furnished in his own person. 

It has been said that a man’s training should begin at least two 
hundred years before he is born. It is of record that three gen- 
erations of Flusser’s ancestors gave him a heritage of valor and 
19 


1 


276 


Lion-Hearted Flusser. 


virtue. The Flussers of Germany, Austria, and Bohemia were 
sailors, soldiers, and merchants. William Flusser, in youth a 
sailor, in middle life a merchant prince of Prague, Bohemia, 
wedded in London, in 1797, beautiful Pauline Mayfield, daughter 
and sister of the Mayfields, money-lenders to the King. At 
Prague, in 1798, the first-born was named Charles Thomas for 
his mother’s English brothers, Charles and Thomas Mayfield. 
The child throve, and although there were brothers and sisters, 
he was given every special advantage that money, travel, and 
tutors could furnish, and was the worthy heir-apparent and in- 
tended successor to the father’s great estate. He was tall, grace- 
ful, a scholar, a linguist, a musician, and a man at seventeen. 
He labored all of one stormy night on the battlefield at Prague, 

0 

caring for the wounded, and returned home at dawn, wet to the 
skin. The stern father, in a rage at the self-exposure of his son 
and heir inflicted upon him a cruel beating that was never for- 
given. In the night after his dear mother’s funeral, Charles 
Thomas left the Flusser home, made his way to Genoa, and as 
an emigrant sailed for the country that was the hope and haven 
of all the world’s oppressed. Landing at Baltimore, in 1816, his 
personal beauty and bearing were so winning that he was at once 
taken by a Mr. Furlong, of Charles County, Maryland, to his 
country home as family tutor. He was tall and ruddy, with blue 
eyes and curly brown hair, loved and admired by all who knew 
him. It is said that money and letters from Bohemia were re- 
turned marked “ Not wanted.” 

Charles Thomas Flusser came from Charles County to An- 
napolis in 1821, seeking a larger field for his talents, and opened 
a successful select school for young women, teaching belles- 
lettres, music, dancing, and deportment. Some of the proudest 
ladies of Maryland gained in gracefulness, if not in grace, in 
“ Flusser’s gentle-school.” The discipline was not cruel. At 
one time observing through a window two of his pupils jumping 
over desks, he entered the class-room, assembled the school, and 
holding an offending lady on each of his knees gave them a lec- 
ture on deportment. His favorite pupil came to class the day 
before an assembly ball with her hair done up in curl-papers, and 
this gentle teacher laid hands upon her and extracted every paper 
while the culprit and scholars shook with laughter. The lady of 
the curl-papers, Miss Juliana Waters, became Mrs. Flusser in 


Lion-Hearted Flusser. 


277 


1827. Apparently, this marriage caused the closing of the select 
school, in which the rewards of merit were the approving words 
and smiles of the handsome principal. Flusser, about the time 
of his marriage, was admitted to the bar and appointed Professor 
of Languages at the University of Maryland, where he filled the 
professorial chair with dignity and credit for ten years. 

Juliana Waters, mother of Charles W. Flusser, was a daughter 
of Jonathan Waters, of Annapolis. The family was of Revolu- 
tionary, navy, and army stock. Her great-grandfather, John 
Willson (d. 1751, of Willson's Deare Purchas, sometime a sol- 
dier), gave his daughter Catherine to Nathan Waters, after- 
wards a Continental soldier. Nathan’s son, Jonathan Waters, of 
Annapolis, also a Continental, survived confinement in Charleston 
prison-ships and married the accomplished and beautiful widow, 
Henriette Mayo, nee Thornton, once adherent to the crown. This 
charming lady was a kinswoman of the Thornton, Jenkins, and 
Parker families of our navy. By her first marriage she is an 
ancestor of the navy Mayos. Her son, Isaac Mayo, rendered 
gallant service and died a commodore in 1861. Another son, 
Nicholas Biddle Mayo, resigned from the navy to fight a duel, 
passed into Mexico, and fell a victim of treachery at Goliad. 
Jonathan Waters’ brother William, Continental surgeon, dressed 
the wound of Lafayette at the Brandywine. William’s son Ker- 
win Waters, of the Enterprise-Boxer fight, lies in Portland, Me., 
beneath the beautiful monument erected by the young men of that 
city. Two cousins of Juliana Waters fell at Bladensburg. Sev- 
eral of her kinswomen married naval officers. John Taylor Wood 
of the United States Navy, commander in the Confederate States 
Navy, and aid to Jefferson Davis, was one of these fortunate 
men. 

A child of the blood of Waters and Flusser might well be ex- 
pected to stand in the front rank of any assembly where fate or 
fortune should place him. The call of the blood is strong, and 
when it is aided by habits and examples of his people their teach- 
ings become principles, their examples ideals, to the man of health- 
ful body and sound mind. 

Juliana Waters was fit to be the mother of heroes. Charles 
Thomas Flusser was possessed of the gift of tongues, a mastery 
of logic and of the pen; a metaphysician, fit to be the father of 
scholars, diplomatists, and scientists. 


278 


Lion-Hearted Flusser. 


Their second son, Charles Williamson Flusser, was born in An- 
napolis, Md., September 27, 1832, under the sign of Mars, in a 
howling gale that drowned his wailing cries, and perhaps cast his 
fate and decreed what seemed the accident of his death, which 
occurred under the same sign. 

The Flussers moved to Vicksburg in the hard times of 1837, 
and shortly after located or settled in Louisville, Ky. The father 
became an honored member of the Kentucky bar and a friend of 
George D. Prentice, editor of the Courier-Journal. He suffered 
greatly in health. The mother managed a small hotel to help 
furnish food and clothing for eight vigorous romping children. 
The hotel was a good one. The best of the foreigners in Louis- 
ville boarded there. It was a place of music, song, and cheeriness, 
of entertaining, instructive, scholarly talk, a home of the sturdy 
Lutheran faith, of temperate, frugal habits, good morals and per- 
sonal cleanliness. At night the mother sewed and mended for 
her children. They were conspicuous for neatness in dress. 
There were no sewing machines in those days. As the mother 
worked with shears and needle, after the younger children were 
put to bed, Charles, who was as the apple of her eye, would read 
to her till long after midnight. Here was laid the foundation of 
that knowledge and love of literature that later surprised his in- 
structors and few intimates, for Flusser knew Shakspeare by 
heart. He knew the Bible and its history. For works in Span- 
ish, French, and German he required no translator. He could 
whistle whole operas. His chief mental recreation was a new 
study. 

A story is told, that while Flusser was with the Coast Survey, 
a gentleman brought a letter written in Syriac or Arabic to the 
superintendent, Bache, asking for a translation. The letter was 
turned over to Flusser. The translation was satisfactorily made, 
but the gentleman objected to Flusser’s bill of fifty dollars for 
the work. Flusser remarked that in his opinion fifty dollars was 
a dirt-cheap price as he had to learn the language , and the gentle- 
man paid the bill in great good humor. 

In his fourteenth year, as a personal favor to Mrs. Flusser, 
Captain William H. Chambers, representative in Congress from 
the Louisville district, obtained from President Polk his appoint- 
ment to the Naval Academy. From that time his life was in and 
of the navy. The members of his family have told interesting 


Lion-Hearted Flusser. 


279 


stories of his boyhood. A sister said that he was not like other 
boys. At dancing-school he sought out the wall-flowers for part- 
ners. He rescued a drowning boy from the river and later 
punched the face of the rescued for telling of it. Four of his 
six nephews have saved drowning persons. Charles once sailed 
into a butcher boy who was beating a horse. The boy butcher 
promptly took a fall out of the future naval hero, laying his scalp 
open and leaving a permanent scar. This child was the leader of 
one boy-clan that fought another clan for the possession of a 
certain back fence. The reward of the victors was the right to 
sit astride the fence, yell like fiends, and pound the fence with 
wooden swords. He was a boy among boys, but a leader always. 
The sister considered his most prominent characteristics in boy- 
hood to be love of duty and love of his mother. In manhood he 
was little changed in these respects. Love of duty was more 
pronounced and included love of flag and country. His love for 
his mother became a passion, and he compared all other women 
with her as a standard of perfection. He always respected 
womanhood and was a ready knight for every woman and child 
that needed his protection. 

After his appointment as midshipman came, in the summer of 
1847, he studied for the Naval Academy entrance examination 
sitting under the low-spreading branches of a large tree in the 
garden, six-year-old sister Fanny comfortably placed in the tree 
with her doll, and the baby brother, Guy, in the cradle rocked by 
his foot. He was thus to his last day at home always relieving his 
dear mother of care and worry. On leaving home, he kissed 
them good-bye and said, “ Don’t cry little Fan, I am going to 
earn lots of money for you and mother.” When at sea, he al- 
ways left a half-pay ticket for the mother. 

At Annapolis he was a favorite, and all reports of service there 
and at sea were commendatory. While a midshipman his cap- 
tain reported him fully competent to perform the duties of higher 
grades. His yearly standing continually improved. In June, 
1853, it was number four, with 88 per cent of the combined 
maximum multiple, and mathematics 97 per cent; French 97 per 
cent; gunnery 86 per cent; seamanship and tactics 76 per cent. 
The last was his lowest mark. He stood easily first in some sub- 
jects, high in all, and without apparent effort. He has stated 
that he shamefully neglected his studies at the academy and read 


28o 


Lion-Hearted Flusser. 


for pleasure stories of the sea, wars, and battles. He wrote in 
his ordnance book when a midshipman, “ In my opinion, to locate, 
attack, and destroy the enemy’s armed forces in the shortest pos- 
sible time is the most proper, wise, and merciful course in war.” 

The following extract from a letter written by a naval officer 
of flag rank describes the person of Flusser: 

* * * On two occasions we were thrown together as in- 

structors at the Naval Academy. We had rooms in the bachelor’s 
quarters and became very intimate, and although there was a 
difference of only three or four years in our ages he often spoke 
to others of me as his younger brother. I had the greatest admira- 
tion for his character as an officer and a gentleman, and for his 
many varied attainments and showed this by deference to his 
opinion and advice. He was generous to a fault, although not a 
spendthrift, and I never knew him to be guilty of an ungentle- 
manly or mean act. 

Unfortunately, he left no picture that would convey to strangers 
the kind of man that he was. He was about five feet seven and a 
half inches in height, slim in build, and of a graceful, erect fig- 
ure. His face indicated the strength of his character and his 
eyes were large, bright, and expressive. When he smiled he 
slightly showed his white teeth through his small brown mous- 
tache, and his expression was most winning and kindly. When 
angry, he showed in his face a determination that convinced me 
of the truth of stories that I had heard of his courage and prowess 
in his younger days. 

He was temperate in all things, not drinking even wine. He 
was quick in his movements and very active. I have seen him 
stand at the foot of my bed and spring on to the bed backward 
over the foot-board which came to the small of his back. Some- 
times in going out of the grounds, he would tell me to take the 
gate, and then he would scale the high wall like a cat, and be 
waiting for me outside. 

He would have made himself a famous mathematician if he 
had turned his attention in that direction. He was fond of good 
books and had many. He had a deep, well-modulated voice, and 
was an excellent reader. He would take up a prayer-book in 
my room and read portions of the beautiful service as I never 
heard it read, without affectation. He could quote Shakspeare 
accurately and with startling effect, and if he had so wished could 


Lion-Hearted Flusser. 


281 

have made himself a great tragedian. He made a study of words 
and their correct pronunciation, and to aid him, he divided up a 
dictionary for convenience of handling. 

Flusser was cool under all circumstances, and apparently with- 
out nerves ; but he once told me that he was naturally of a nervous 
temperament and had made up his mind not to show he was 
under excitement no matter what occurred. His will-power was 
so great that he was able to the end to carry out this determina- 
tion. On one occasion, in my room, we were overhauling our 
revolvers. After cleaning his, he was lowering the hammer, 
when his thumb slipped, the cartridge exploded and the bullet 
just grazed my head and was buried in the window-casing be- 
hind me. Flusser, although he must have been much shocked, 
merely arched his eyebrows, which was his wont, and said, “ My 
dear boy, I nearly killed you,” and then turned so that I could 
not see his face, laid the revolver on the table and was silent for 
some hours afterwards. 

Flusser was sometimes given to harmless practical jokes. One 
night, in his white uniform he asked me to take a walk. I de- 
clined, saying I had some studying to do, when he replied, “ That 
is right, my boy; keep ahead of the youngsters.” He went out 
and returned in an hour or so, smiling. He said that he had 
gone to the cemetery to the tombs of relatives, and had sat down 
on one of the vaults, which, by the way, was the same one in 
which some years afterwards, I temporarily placed his remains 
sent from their first burial-place. After meditating upon what 
the future had in store for him, he arose and went to the gate to 
go out when a negro passed across the field a short distance from 
him, caught sight of him, gave an unearthly yell, and started for 
the shanties in Lockwoodville, with Flusser chasing him. As he 
came near the houses, the man disappeared. Flusser said that the 
darkey would repeat to his dying day that true ghost story. I 
have related this to show that Flusser was not that austere and 
serious man that strangers sometimes thought him. * * * * 

Flusser graduated number six in the class of 1853. This was a 
fighting class, headed by John Taylor Wood of Kentucky and 
footed by John Irwin of Pennsylvania. Flusser fell at Plymouth ; 
Cummings at Port Hudson; Gwin at Yazoo River; Newman, 
Belknap, Williams (lost in the Oneida), J. P. Foster, Harmony, 
Henry Wilson, Benham, McGunnegle and Irwin survived the 


282 


Lion-Hearted Flusser. 


war with fine records in the Union Navy; Wood, Thorburn, and 
Eggleston fought for the South as bravely as their classmates 
fought for the Union. 

Returning to Norfolk from South America and the Paraguayan 
Expedition in the brig Dolphin, commanded by Charles Steed- 
man, in December, i860, Flusser found his beloved country seeth- 
ing with secession. He had one quarrel with a brother officer 
who asserted the right to “ cuss ” the United States at any time 
or place. This nearly led to a duel with Flusser, and it was finally 
agreed that no one was to say anything whatever against the 
United States in Flusser’s presence. 

Flusser was a geographical Southerner of Maryland and Ken- 
tucky, where state pride was always a ruling passion. “ My 
Maryland ” and “ Old Kentucky Home ” are the best-loved state 
songs. Officers, as a rule, sided with their states, which included 
their families, relatives, and dearest friends. A Southerner rarely 
sided with the North; because that meant for him the contempt 
and hatred of his kinspeople. Regarding divided allegiance, there 
were on either side in the Civil War members of the naval families 
of Farragut, Porter, Dahlgren, Buchanan, Lee, Drayton, Parker, 
Wise, Dornin, Adams, Stribling, Henderson, Taylor, Mayo, 
Evans, and Flusser. Most of the younger officers went with their 
states. Kentucky, occupying middle ground, furnished Jouett, 
Flusser, McCann, Pendergrast, Terry, and Watson to the Union, 
and John Taylor Wood, Langhorne, Dunnington (of Arkansas 
Post), Shryock, and Benton to the Confederacy. 

The Southerners who remained loyal to the Union were, at first, 
suspected of disloyalty. Even the immortal Farragut, according 
to his foster-brother, was not excepted from this general suspi- 
cion. Mrs. Farragut’s brother, Benjamin P. Loyall, went South, 
but the admiral would say, with a twinkle of the eye, “ Mrs. Far- 
ragut was Loyall.” 

When Flusser had laid up the Dolphin at Norfolk, where she 
was later destroyed when the navy-yard was abandoned in 1861, 
he obtained a few days leave, and included New York City in his 
route to home. Brother officers from slave states assumed that 
he would “ go South.” To this suggestion, made to him by an 
officer of high rank, a life-long friend, he replied in the following 
characteristically loyal letter sent to the New York Hotel (a fa- 
mous rendezvous for Southerners), and published with comments 
in the New York Commercial: 


Lion-Hearted Flusser. 


283 


Dear Cap: 


New York, Thursday, Jan. 3, 1861. 


I shall never do it. What! be one of the very first to fire on the flag? 
Not I! 

I have no appetite for argument to-night: my heart is sick. Is it not 
enough to drive an honest man out of his senses to find thieves making a 
great nation destroy itself? 

Where are your wits, man? How can this business end? In “peace” 
and “ slavery ” ? The end may bring the death of both forever ; and worse, 
inaugurate an era of blood unparalleled. Will the South be whipped by the 
North? Not while one Southerner lives. Will the North be whipped by 
the South? Not while the Alleghanies rise above level land. Just look at 
the prospect: blood: rapine: desolation! war! 

Hollins ! ! 

Thou canst not shake thy gory locks at me and say — I did it. 

Yours, in Union, 

C. W. Flusser. 


Captain Du Pont asked for him and with the settled prospect 
of duty at Philadelphia, Flusser hurried to Louisville, to visit 
home and loved ones. Here everything was changed. It was 
openly proclaimed that the Union would soon be dismembered into 
three confederacies, Confederate States, New England States, 
and United States, the last to be the smallest and weakest of the 
new nations. The accomplished father had died in 1858. All the 
family, except a little sister, was for the South, and Flusser said 
that he behaved beastly in this last visit. Small wonder if he did 
behave beastly. Even the negro cook condemned him. Seeing 
the letters U. S. N. she said, “That means Uncle Sam’s Nigger; 
Marster Charles, you is just as much a nigger now as I is. Y’ou 
has to do just what your marster Uncle Sam says to do.” 

Ordered to the Naval Academy as instructor in tactics and 
gunnery, he took the train for Annapolis. His farewell word, at 
the Louisville depot, to his brother and home friends, was an ex- 
hortation to be loyal to Lincoln and the Union. This talk was 
overheard and was unfavorably commented on by the train bag- 
gage smasher. That baggageman may have been a Confederate. 
Flusser’s Union trunks containing his sword and uniforms dis- 
appeared, and Flusser always thought that baggageman guilty of 
offensive partisanship. 

At Annapolis, his birth-place, he was ostracized by kinsmen 
and former Southern friends because of his outspoken Union sen- 
timents. He shed tears of bitter grief — “ grief for the ostra- 


284 


Lion-Hearted Flusser. 


cizers ” — he wrote. Commodore Isaac Mayo, a half uncle, re- 
signed and died in the spring of 1861, and at the grave the min- 
ister praised and lauded Mayo’s course in resigning from the 
navy “ just in time to save his honor.” At the close of the cere- 
monies, considering it a good opportunity, Flusser made before 
the assembly a strong Union speech, declaring that in his opinion 
the uncle had not died any too soon for his own good and the 
good of his country. 

Those were troublous days at Annapolis, and the youngsters 
from the South (about one hundred), with the notable exceptions 
of Silas Terry, Evans, and Pegram, resigned to go with the Stars 
and Bars. The Academy was ordered to be transferred to New- 
port, and Flusser’s energy in loading the outfit pleased Brigadier- 
General Butler, who earnestly requested Commodore Blake, the 
superintendent, to detail the strenuous young officer to the army 
as Captain of the Port of Annapolis in charge of the army trans- 
port service. The detail was made, and Flusser was in high 
feather for a time. He handled the transports with good results, 
and organized raiding parties, which captured vessels and sup- 
plies. The army needed locomotives, and Flusser went to the 
railroad at Bush River, captured and transported two locomotives 
by ferry boat to Annapolis, and in great glee ran them himself 
to the railway depot over the tracks laid by Butler, thus relieving 
the railroad blockade. Butler did not fail to commend his Cap- 
tain of the Port. 

The work at Annapolis became tame and safe with the arrival 
of many regiments. Flusser applied for sea duty and was as- 
signed to the old ship Jamestown, which blockaded Savannah 
and Fernandina. Near the latter place, on August 5, 1861, he 
led a cutting-out expedition with Phythian, Geo. P. Houston, 
and Dr. Clymer in the boats. Pulling through the fire of shore 
batteries they burned the stranded bark Alvarado of Boston, pre- 
venting a valuable prize from falling into Confederate hands. 
Returning in the Jamestown to Hampton Roads for supplies he 
was ordered, January 9, 1862, to the command of the Commodore 
Perry, a Fulton ferry boat made into a man-of-war, and in com- 
mand of the Perry he led the famous Goldsborough Expedition, 
sometimes called the Burnside Expedition, in the Sounds of North 
Carolina. Roanoke Island, strongly defended by forts, gunboats, 
and obstructions, was the place first attacked. It was captured 
February 8, 1862. 


Lion-Hearted Flusser. 


285 


The battle of Roanoke Island was the best planned and the 
best executed co-operative movement of the Civil War. It was 
the initial and strategic victory, followed by others in a logical 
sequence: at Elizabeth, on the Pasquotank, February 10; at Eden- 
ton, on the Chowan, February 12 ; at Winton, on the Chowan, 
February 20; at New Berne, on the Neuse, March 14; at Wash- 
ington, on the Tar, March 21; at Beaufort and Morehead City, 
commanding Beaufort Harbor, the southern entrance to the sounds 
from seaward, April 26; at Plymouth, on the Roanoke, May 16. 
In each of the foregoing affairs, except that at Beaufort, Flusser, 
in command of the Commodore Perry, played an important part. 
The net result of these victories was the control by the Federal 
Government of the extensive sounds and shores of North Caro- 
lina and the wonderfully ramified waterways, including the 
mouths of five important rivers. The navy thus had a strangle- 
hold on North Carolina’s water traffic and deprived the Confeder- 
ate Army of supplies from many fertile bottom counties, and 
further, prevented the export of vast amounts of Confederate cot- 
ton, upon which the South was dependent for funds to pay her 
bonds, and to purchase arms and munitions of war. These emi- 
nently successful joint operations covered a period of about one 
hundred days. Goldsborough and Burnside received the thanks 
of Congress, and the naval officer second in rank, S. C. Rowan, 
was later made vice-admiral. 

At Roanoke Island, the Union fleet was ready to attack the 
Confederate defenses by February 5, 1862. The next day was 
selected for the advance, but thick weather delayed the action for 
a day. 

On February 7 the weather was clear and fine. The Union ves- 
sels steamed northward in double column, up the middle of Croa- 
tan Sound, toward the enemy’s fleet and forts. The sound was 
about four miles wide, the water shoal, and the channel uncertain. 
Roanoke Island is curved with concave side to the west. It is ten 
miles long and three wide. Between it and the mainland lies 
Croatan. Fort Huger, on Wier’s Point, and Fort Bartow, on 
Pork Point two miles below, with field batteries between the two 
forts, were shore defenses of the island. At Fort Bartow, the 
lower fort, a double row of piling extended westward across the 
sound toward Fort Forrest at Red-stone Point, on the main land 
or west shore. The piling obstructions were strengthened by 


286 


Lion-Hearted Flusser. 


sunken hulks. Northward of the piling and behind it lay the 
Confederate fleet of eight gunboats. The bombardment by the 
Union fleet became general by noon of the 7th and ceased at 
dark, 6 p. m. The Confederate fleet retired behind Fort Huger, 
the upper fort. Fort Bartow was injured but not silenced. I11 
the afternoon and night of the 7th the naval battery, under Mid- 
shipman Benjamin H. Porter, and Burnside’s army of 10,000 
men were landed at Ashley Harbor, some three miles below Fort 
Bartow. 

On February 8, by 9 a. m. the Union land forces were well 
advanced toward the rear of Fort Bartow, and the naval bombard- 
ment began fast and furious. The Confederate vessels did not 
appear. Lieutenant Jeffers, with the Ceres, located the channel, 
or best water, through the obstructions ; the piles and hulks were 
pulled aside, and about 4 p. m. Jeffers with several gunboats 
passed through. At 4.30 the land forces entered Fort Bartow, 
hoisted the Stars and Stripes, and Goldsborough signaled “ Vic- 
tory.” The Confederate steamer Curlew was blown up by her 
crew at 5.15. At 7.15 Generals Burnside and Foster announced to 
Flag-Officer Goldsborough the capture of Roanoke Island, 40 
guns and 3000 prisoners. This was Flusser’s first battle. His 
vessel ran close to the batteries and expended all her ammunition. 
Goldsborough reported that he had to recall the Commodore Perry 
as she was very near the Pork Point battery. Flusser’s vessel 
was hulled eight times. One shot passed through an empty pow- 
der tank in her magazine. By great good fortune she was not 
blown up and had only one serious casualty. 

Commander Rowan, with the Commodore Perry under Flusser, 
and twelve other gunboats, went after the Confederate vessels that 
had escaped from Roanoke Island to Elizabeth City on the Pas- 
quotank River. He attacked at 8 a. m. February 10, capturing 
one gunboat and the strong fort called Cobb’s Point. Two gun- 
boats escaped. The others were destroyed, and Elizabeth City 
was at once occupied by the navy. Flusser, in the Commodore 
Perry, was given the lead. He rammed and sunk the Confederate 
flagship Sea Bird, and captured her crew and officers. Flusser 
landed at Cobb’s Point, hoisted the Union flag in place of the 
Confederate colors at 11.50 a. m., and spiked and dismounted the 
guns. The fight was a warm one. The two killed were on the 
Perry, and she had one-third of the total casualties. Flusser 


Lion-Hearted Flusser. 


287 


cared for Midshipman William C. Jackson, fatally wounded on 
the C. S. S. Ellis, and buried him with all the honors of war. 
Jackson was a Virginia youngster at the U. S. Naval Academy 
and resigned in April, 1861, to “ go South/' His father, a min- 
ister, made grateful acknowledgment to Flusser. At this battle, 
John Davis, gunner’s mate on the U. S. S. Valley City, “ while 
at his station in the magazine when the shell penetrated the side 
and ignited the berth-deck as above reported, did cover a barrel 
of powder with his own person, thereby preventing an explosion.” 
This is but one of many gallant deeds of that day. A story is told 
that the C. S. S. Ellis was run ashore and abandoned. Her cap- 
tain, J. W. Cooke, afterwards commander of the C. S. S. Albe- 
marle, left alone on deck, tried to defend himself by firing musk- 
ets at his enemies. Flusser, in a barge, boarded the Ellis and 
found Cooke still refusing to surrender, lying flat on his back, 
slashing about with his sword and kicking viciously. The men 
were about to shoot him but Flusser begged them not to and pro- 
posed that they disarm and tie the fighter. This was done with 
shouts of laughter, and Flusser’s stratagem saved Cooke’s life. 

Alexander Murray with four gunboats, including the Commo- 
dore Perry, captured Edenton February 12. 

Rowan, in the Delaware, and Flusser, in the Commodore 
Perry, ascended the Chowan to Winton on the 19th. The Dela- 
ware ran into a furious fire of musketry and artillery and was 
saved by the readiness of Flusser, who poured shrapnel into 
the enemy until the Delaware was extricated. Rowan returned 
in large force on the 20th and destroyed all defenses and stores 
at Winton. About this time Rowan sent Flusser in the Perry 
to Elizabeth City to watch that place and collect information. 
Rowan was apprehensive that the Confederates might send vessels 
from Norfolk to the sounds through the Albemarle and Chesa- 
peake Canal. Rowan reported that the army having failed to 
close the canal he had sent Flusser to do it and that he had accom- 
plished the work in his usual able and energetic manner. Flusser 
reported that it would be easier to dig a new canal than to re- 
move the obstructions he had placed in a day and a half. 

Rowan attacked New Berne in a joint expedition March 13-14. 
Fourteen gunboats, including the Commodore Perry under Flus- 
ser, army forces, and naval batteries ashore, successfully repeated 
the tactics employed at Roanoke Island, and occupied New 


288 


f 


Lion-Hearted Flusser. 


Berne March 14. Thirty guns, many prisoners, two steamers, 
several loaded schooners, and a large quantity of stores were 
taken. The fighting on shore was severe. Rodney McCook, gal- 
lantly commanding naval howitzers, lost heavily. When the land 
forces arrived at New Berne the navy was in possession. The 
Commodore Perry led the naval procession as usual, but in pass- 
ing the obstructions she struck on one of the iron-pointed stakes. 
This delayed her so that she was last in entering, with the stake 
sticking through her. Flusser was chagrined at being last in. 
When he arrived at the burning town he landed without orders, 
pressed townspeople into service, manned the fire-engines, and 
saved much of the place from the flames. 

Plymouth was occupied by Union gunboats, including the Com- 
modore Perry, May 16. It was an important town and a port of 
entry. It lies on the right bank of the Roanoke River eight miles 
from its mouth and Albemarle Sound. The possession of Ply- 
mouth sealed the Roanoke to traffic. Washington commanded 
the Tar River, and New Berne the Neuse River. Edenton lay 
at the mouth of Chowan River, whose tributary waters flowed 
through Southern Virginia. Norfolk was occupied by Union 
forces May 10. Thus the sounds of North Carolina and ap- 
proaches, mouths of tributary rivers, and all important towns on 
its shores were in possession of the Union in May, 1862. This 
possession was hostile and it was maintained by a warfare that 
ended only in June, 1865. The last Union operation there was 
the raid of Commander Macomb in Roanoke River, June, 1865, 
when he burned a war vessel on the stocks at Halifax and re- 
covered the little picket launch No. 1, in which Cushing had at- 
tacked and sunk, by a torpedo, the famous ram Albemarle. 

The fight for possession of the sounds was serious business and 
Flusser was the most active man in it. He enjoyed the confidence 
of his eminent superiors, Rear-Admiral Lee and Commanders 
Murray and Davenport, and was given a rather free hand by them. 
Plymouth was his usual headquarters and depot. From there he 
controlled his little squadron. When there was nothing doing in 
aid of the army his vessels roamed the rivers, breaking up contra- 
band trade. The total value of captured property, including 
cotton, was enormous. There were many expeditions, generally 
co-operative, and the soldiers seemed to enjoy the dashing hazar- 
dous adventures in narrow winding rivers, fighting guerrillas 


Lion-Hearted Flusser. 


289 


and masked batteries on the banks, making marches and attacks 
where least expected by the enemy. 

At Franklin, Va., Flusser s boats had a narrow escape from cap- 
ture, October 3, 1862. Franklin was a town on the Blackwater 
River, about twenty miles by water north of the state line and on 
the Seaboard and Roanoke Railway, twenty-two miles west of 
Suffolk, Va. Major-General Dix arranged with Rear-Admiral 
Lee, commanding the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron, for 
Flusser’s co-operation and aid in destroying a bridge at Franklin. 
The burden of responsibility was placed on Flusser as Lee’s 
orders left the practicability of the proposed operations to his 
judgment. Dix and Flusser agreed upon 6 a. m. October 3, for 
the joint attack. The Commodore Perry, Hunchback, and White- 
head arrived at a point six miles below Franklin in the night of 
the 2d, and were under way at 6 a. m. the next morning, the 
Perry ahead. While rounding the bend three-quarters of a 
mile below Franklin, at 7 a. m., the enemy posted in the woods 
on Crumpler’s Bluff opened fire on them. They steamed past 
as quickly as possible. The Perry had run ahead and with a 
rapid discharge of shell and shrapnel kept down the fire of the 
enemy, and the other two boats passed the dangerous bend in 
safety. They found the river below Franklin obstructed and 
impassable. They lay at the obstructions, shelling Franklin and 
the banks generally, hoping for the sound of Union army guns, 
but no such welcome music reached their ears, and at 10.15 a. m. 
the perilous downstream passage began. Confederates, both sol- 
diers and civilians, fired on them from every available point. 
Trees were felled across the narrow stream but the boats pushed 
through with a heavy head of steam and escaped. There were 
many acts of great bravery. Lieutenant W. B. Cushing, at this 
time and place, received his baptism of fire on the Commodore 
Perry under the eye of Flusser. When under fire, and the boat 
against the bank, the Confederates started to charge the Perry. 
Cushing, in charge of the forward gun, after every man of the 
gun’s crew but himself had been driven to cover, killed, or 
wounded, deliberately depressed the muzzle and at the right mo- 
ment fired a 9-inch canister that stopped the charge and saved 
the vessel from capture. Cushing was warmly commended. 
Flusser wrote to Davenport — “ Cushing behaved like a gallant 
boy. I had frequently to oblige him to seek shelter from the 
enemy’s fire. It was the severest fight I have been in. With 


290 


Lion-Hearted Flusser. 


my usual good luck, I was not hit.” E. R. Colhoun, who had 
resigned from the navy, commanded the Hunchback in this fight, 
as an acting lieutenant. Flusser warmly recommended that he 
be restored to the regular navy and stated that he would gladly 
serve under him. Colhoun was restored and outranked Flusser. 

Major-General Dix reported to General Halleck that the army 
had waited for the navy at Franklin, on October 3, 1862, and 
had kept the enemy at bay the entire day, finally drawing off at 
night. Among Flusser’s private papers, forty years after his 
death, was found a note from Dix, dated September 30, 1862, 
stating “We cannot be ready till about the 10th proximo.” * Here 
was an issue of fact, and Flusser’s tact in suppressing Dix’s note 
marks him as a diplomat. When the messenger bearing Dix’s 
note of September 30 to Flusser returned to Suffolk, late in the 
evening of October 2, reporting his failure to deliver the note to 
Flusser, as the gunboats had left for Franklin five hours before 
the messenger’s arrival at the Chowan, Dix, or Peck, com- 
manding at Suffolk, ordered a forced night march on Franklin. 
The Union troops reached that place October 3, about 1 p. m., 
seven hours late and three hours after Flusser’s departure. Flus- 
ser’s reports to Lee and Davenport mention Dix’s note only as 
a request for naval co-operation in a proposed attack on Frank- 
lin, October 10, and state that he would not take part in the pro- 
posed movement without a positive order from Lee. The order 
was not given. 

Official reports of this hazardous expedition are in Naval War 
Records, volume VIII, and Army War Records, volume XVIII. 
They are well worth reading. 

* Headquarters Dept, of Virginia. 

7th Army Corps, Fort Monroe, Va., 30 Sept. 1862. 

Sir: 

In consequence of some unexpected obstacles, we cannot be ready till 
about the 10th proximo. I will give you three days notice. 

The bridge has not been reconstructed at Franklin for the Roanoke 
and Seaboard Railroad. But a floating bridge has been thrown across 
the Blackwater at that point. A large force has been sent down from 
Petersburg, but we think the bulk of it is at Zuni, the crossing of the 
Petersburg road. We are quite strong at Suffolk. 

Respectfully yours, 

John A. Dix, 
Maj. Gertl. 

Lieut. Commander C. W. Flusser, 

Comdg. U. S. Steamer Commodore Perry. 



UNITED STATES STEAMER MIAMI, AT ANCHOR IN THE SOUNDS OF NORTH CAROLINA, 1864. 





































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Lion-Hearted Flusser. 


291 


The Plymouth squadron was strengthened by the addition of 
the Miami, a staunch government-built double-ender, with bat- 
tery of eight 9-inch Dahlgrens and a ioo-pounder rifle. Flusser 
assumed command of her May 8, 1863. The Miami had served 
with Porter’s Mortar Flotilla below New Orleans, and at Vicks- 
burg on the Mississippi River. She steered so badly that every- 
thing would get out of her way. Her capacity for taking a sheer 
and running away was phenomenal. It was finally discovered 
that she steered less badly when steaming stern foremost. Her 
photograph shows her at anchor with masts raking forward. The 
sailors called her the “ Miasma.” 

Flusser, in command of the Miami and a small squadron, co- 
operated with the army thoroughly and heartily. Every army 
department commander within whose territory he served asked 
that he he detailed to the army. Butler asked in 1862 that he 
be detailed as Captain of the Port at New Orleans, saying — “ He 
is another Farragut.” Flag-Officer Goldsborough proposed tak- 
ing Flusser from the sounds to command the Minnesota in the 
then approaching battle with the Merrimack, for the flag officer 
noted that the young Kentuckian conceived boldly and executed 
skilfully in times of extreme peril. Major-General Foster re- 
ferred to him as Lion-Hearted Flusser. Flusser, writing to 
Davenport regarding an article in the New York Herald prais- 
ing “ C. W. Flusser the naval hero,” stated — I have no desire 
for newspaper notoriety. Such articles may be intended to do 
an officer good, but they injure his reputation among officers, 
those zvhose opinion he regards, and can only avail with the 
masses whose good opinions, if undeserved, he should despise, 
or at least be ashamed of possessing .” 

Flusser feared only one thing. He was afraid that he might 
fail to do the work or task allotted him. When he would come 
from his cabin fresh and clean from his daily morning bath, clear- 
eyed and smiling notwithstanding the trials and dangers before 
him, his presence was an inspiration to courageous deeds. One 
who knew him well has said that “ he was not a Christian to hurt.” 
An intimate friend once asked him if he never felt fear at the 
prospect of battle and possible death. Flusser, with his quiet 
smile, replied, “I have no fear. When I retire at night , I make 
it right with my God. When I leave my cabin in the morning 
I am at peace.” 


20 


292 


Lion-Hearted Flusser. 


Flusser was a harmonizer in times and places of discord. He 
was like Farragut in many respects, always doing his best with 
the means at hand, dealing with himself as severely as he dealt 
with others, quick and just in praise or blame, but inclined to 
mercy; a good judge of human nature, of evidence, of men and 
motives ; a man of infinite patience, of mental exactness, of meth- 
odical reasoning, and yet possessed of intuitive faculties, active 
imagination and keen humor. 

Flusser always had a “ happy ship. 5 ' The crew of the Miami 
was a motley crowd. There were a few regular seamen and 
ordinary seamen, but the bulk was made up of contrabands, boys, 
soldiers, and landsmen, and riff-raff picked up anywhere, and 
their captain called them “ buffaloes.” There was much sickness 
and some drunkenness. An officer and seven men, all drunk, 
came aboard the Miami one night and Flusser made the officer 
stand watch, as officer of the deck, every other watch for a week. 
The men had the wrinkles ironed out of them, and were given 
willow-bark tea as a tonic. 

Flusser had decided views as to how the war should be con- 
ducted. He had extensive personal acquaintance in the South 
and his bump of location was large ; that is, he had an extensive 
and accurate knowledge of geography, topography, directions, 
and distances and their relations to military strategy and tactics. 
One of his duties was the collection of Confederate information 
for his government. The Navy Department authorized him to 
subscribe for Southern newspapers. He passed the military lines 
whenever he wished. It is said that when he went on a flag of 
truce expedition he always took a jug of whiskey and a box of 
cigars, both scarce articles in the Confederacy. Flusser weighed 
the mass of information and misinformation that he collected, 
sifted out the truth, and sent it to Washington. One of his ship- 
mates has stated that he was once, at least, called to the Navy De- 
partment, where he presented his views in person to President 
Lincoln, Welles, Fox, and Stanton. He kept the Navy Department 
informed of the ironclads under construction by the Confederates, 
and advocated light-draft ironclads or monitors to oppose those of 
the Confederates. His reports of the building of the Albemarle 
form a fair history of her. 

Flusser proposed the arming of loyal North Carolinians, 
“ whereby Confederate conscription might be prevented.” His 


Lion-Hearted Flusser. 


293 


grand strategy included the capture of Weldon and the cutting 
off of railway communications of the South with Richmond and 
Tredegar Foundry, where Confederate ordnance was made. He 
proposed driving a Union army wedge from Weldon to Raleigh. 
He claimed that this would transform the army of Northern Vir- 
ginia into the army of North Carolina, relieve Washington, the 
capital, of all fear of attack, and cause the evacuation of Rich- 
mond. He deplored the anaconda policy of a long, straggling 
military line extending from Norfolk to New Mexico, and urged 
“ that it was better to knock the Confeds. out than to try and 
starve them out.” 

The summer and autumn of 1863 were warm and sickly times 
in the sounds. The blockade was strictly maintained. Rumors 
of Confederate ironclads building on the Roanoke and Neuse 
Rivers were disquieting. Flusser kept the Department accurately 
informed of the progress of work upon these vessels, and he 
begged to be allowed to lead an expedition to destroy the ram 
building upon the Roanoke at Edward’s Ferry. Major-General 
Butler pooh-poohed the idea of any rams attacking the Union 
forces in the sounds. On February 17, 1864, he wrote to Rear- 
Admiral Lee, “ I do not much believe in the ram, either in the 
Roanoke or the Neuse.” Flusser asked a faithful, intelligent 
negro, who had furnished him much information regarding the 
rams, and had worked on them as a mechanic, what he thought of 
the statement that there were no rams, and the negro solemnly 
replied, “ Them that knows nothing, fears nothing.” And so, 
without molestation the rams were completed and made ready for 
battle. The Neuse, at Kingston on the Neuse River, was com- 
manded by Ben Loyall, Farragut's brother-in-law. The Albe- 
marle, at Halifax on the Roanoke, was commanded by James W. 
Cooke, a personal friend of Flusser. They waited for the 1864 
spring floods to carry them over the Union obstructions near the 
mouths of the rivers, and it was planned to join them in the 
sounds. Both were under the general control of John Taylor 
Wood, friend and classmate of Flusser. The 'Neuse failed to 
pass down. The Albemarle succeeded. 

The story of the Albemarle is a part of the life story of the 
youth who built her, Mr. Gilbert Elliott, born in Elizabeth City, 
N. C., in 1843. 1861 Elliott was a clerk in Norfolk to Wil- 

liam F. Martin, lawyer and boat-builder. Elliott had not learned 


294 


Lion-Hearted Flusser. 


the trade of boat-building, he inherited it. His mother’s father, 
Charles Grice, was a shipbuilder a century ago. The nephew of 
Charles Grice was Francis Grice, the U. S. Naval Constructor 
who built the Niagara and many other naval vessels. Elliott en- 
listed in the army, but at the request of the Confederate Secretary 
of the Navy, Mallory, was furloughed to build Confederate ves- 
sels. Mallory contracted with this boy of twenty years to build 
the Albemarle. Her plans were drawn by John L. Porter. Her 
keel was laid in a cornfield near Edward’s Ferry. She was put 
together by James F. Snell and Peter E. Smith, mechanical ge- 
niuses. She was a twin-screw ironclad ram, 158 feet long, 35 
feet wide, 4-inch armor, 9 feet draft, and carried at each end a 
pivoted 6.4-inch Brooke rifle, which fired from three ports. The 
stern gun could fire astern or on either side. The bow gun could 
fire ahead or on either side. She was completed under the per- 
sonal supervision of J. W. Cooke, and started for Plymouth on 
April 17, 1864, drilling her crew at the guns and driving home 
the last armor bolts at the same time. Elliott served on her as a 
volunteer, found the channel at night, and piloted her over Union 
obstructions and torpedoes at Plymouth. She glided uninjured 
past Union forts and batteries to meet the Union gunboats under 
Flusser, just below the town. 

The Union boats and army were ready to defend New Berne, 
Washington and Plymouth, isolated posts, with small garrisons, 
tenable only by aid of gunboats. Plymouth was the strongest of 
the three forts. The Confederates chose to attack Plymouth, and 
began April 17, 1864. Flusser, with the Miami and Southfield, 
double-enders, 200 feet long, each armed with 9-inch Dahlgrens 
and ioo-pounder rifles, aided the army. He had two little steam 
vessels, the Whitehead and Ceres, both useless as fighting craft. 
Their only useful service was scouting and transport work. It 
was pitiful to send these frail wooden craft against an ironclad. 
Rear-Admiral Lee had instructed thus, “ when the enemy shows 
himself with a force on the river at Plymouth, Lieutenant-Com- 
mander Flusser, with the whole force present, will at once rush 
a sufficient distance above him, firing all arms as he goes, when he 
can with effect, and taking the enemy in reverse, attack it by 
ramming and firing.” This plan of attack could not be carried 
out in the Roanoke River, 300 yards wide, with any prospect of 
success. Flusser’s plan was simplicity itself. It was to lash 
the Southfield and Miami together by rope and chain cable across 



CONFEDERATE STATES IRON CLAD RAM ALBEMARLE. 




























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Lion-Hearted Flusser. 


295 

their forecastles, and attack the ram end on, receiving her between 
the two gunboats. In this position the gunboats could play their 
forward guns on the ram's shield, and by steaming ahead jam 
the ram's stern into the bank where she would be helpless. The 
plan was good. It was the best possible method of attack under 
the existing conditions, and it almost succeeded although it was 
carried out imperfectly and incompletely. The Miami and South- 
field, by a cross-fire from above and below Plymouth, effectually 
protected that post until late at night, April 18. The ram was 
expected any moment, and the Ceres was stationed at Plymouth, 
the Whitehead at the Thoroughfare a few miles above Plymouth, 
as scouts. The Southfield was above Plymouth until the Con- 
federate fire stopped, about 9 p. m. April 18. The Miami lay 
about half a mile below Plymouth. At 12.15 a * m * April 19, the 
Whitehead arrived by a roundabout passage “ from below " and 
reported the ram as having passed Thoroughfare. The South- 
field was gotten along the port side of the Miami at 1.30 a. m. 
Flusser, in order to avoid the tedious and slow work of lashing 
the boats by chain made the fatal, but under all the circumstances 
excusable, mistake of lashing his boats together by rope only. 
The reason for this decision was that the time required to release 
the lashings of chain and clear the decks for action was about 
twice the time needed to release the lashings of rope. He had 
determined this by actual experiment. In order to be ready in the 
shortest possible time to aid the army, only the rope lashings were 
passed, and the wooden ferry-boats, with men at quarters, lay 
waiting the ironclad. At 3.45 a. m. the ram met the two ferry- 
boats steaming toward her, and grazing the bow of the Miami 
forced her prow slantwise into the hull of the Southfield. The 
Albemarle began to back. She could not withdraw her prow 
from the Southfield, then forging ahead by her own steam and 
that of the Miami. The Albemarle was being forced to the left 
river bank, the three vessels swinging slowly to the right. The 
Albemarle acted as a lever with the fulcrum at the Miami’s stem, 
and tended to pry the gunboats apart. The strain upon the gun- 
boats' lashings was tremendous. The Southfield began to fill 
and to settle down on the Albemarle, slowly forcing the ram's 
bow under water till the surface was over the portsill of the 
forward port and water began pouring into the shield of the help- 
less ironclad. At the first alarm the cables of the Miami and 
Southfield were slipped and the boats driven upon the ram full 


296 


Lion-Hearted Flusser. 


head, by order of Flusser. The Southfield received the ram’s 
prow on the starboard bow, under her heavy guard. The prow 
penetrated ten feet, reaching the Southfield’s fire-room. The 
Albemarle’s shield lay abreast the forward guns of the ferry- 
boats, and received the fire of shot and shell from both. Flusser 
fired the first three shots, the third being a io-second 9-inch 
Dahlgren shell. When about to fire Flusser was warned by the 
division officer, Hargis, — “ There’s a shell in that gun, captain.” 
''Never mind, my lad,” said he; “we will give them this first 
and solid shot after,” and pulled the lanyard. The shell struck 
the ram’s shield a few feet from the muzzle of the gun, and ex- 
ploded by impact, its flying fragments instantly killing Flusser, 
mortally wounding Hargis, and severely wounding several others. 
Flusser had written one week before, “ In fifteen minutes after 
we get to close quarters my commission as commander is secured 
or I am a dead man.” He prophesied truly. He died with cheer- 
ing words on his lips, gun lanyard in hand, victory almost won, 
for the ram was at his mercy while the lashings held, slowly 
sinking with the Southfield. 

Commander Cooke reported that in this condition, unable to 
work his great guns, water running in the forward port, he “ or- 
dered all the crew on the top deck.” What for? Was it his 
intention to abandon the sinking Albemarle lying helpless under 
the pounding shot and shell of the ferry-boats? Just then the 
overstrained rope lashings parted, the Southfield swung to port, 
released the Albemarle, and slowly settled to the bottom of the 
Roanoke in about twenty feet of water. The ram re-manned her 
guns, fired two shells at the fleeing Union gunboats, and was left 
in undisputed possession of the field, the victor by reason of the 
parted lashings. The gallant and intrepid Cooke, with an untried 
vessel and crew, had won his laurels by the supreme test of suc- 
cess in battle. His victory was complete and decisive. 
The garrison at Plymouth surrendered April 20, with a 
large amount of provisions, stores, and ammunition, 25 
pieces of artillery, and 1600 prisoners. 

Flusser’s death fell like a pall over the sailors and soldiers in the 
sounds. His remains were interred at New Berne with imposing 
military ceremonies April 23, later taken to Annapolis and tem- 
porarily placed in the Randall vault, and in 1868 finally placed 
with military honors on Bluff Point, in the Naval Academy ceme- 


Lion-Hearted Flusser. 


297 


tery, being the first interment in this consecrated ground. In 
the box-vault on the crest of the knoll lies the dust of that good 
man and true “ Lion-Hearted Flusser/’ 

“But the high soul burns on to light men's feet 
Where death for noble ends makes dying sweet ” 


[Newspaper Extract — Louisville Courier- Journal, June 15, 1864.] 

Amongst our announcements of deaths, this week, will be found 
the names of three sons of Charles T. and Juliana Flusser — 
Ottokar, Charles W., and Guy — the first and last killed in the ser- 
vice of the enemy, the other dying gloriously in defence of his 
flag. The divided allegiance of this brave family is a forcible 
commentary on the sad results of a civil war. But however 
deep may be the parental sorrow, the mourning for a son like the 
gallant naval hero Flusser must be assuaged by the memory of 
his great services to his country, and the honor in which all true 
men hold his name. 

DIED. 

On the battlefield at Antietam Creek, Maryland, on the 17th of 
September, 1862, Ottokar Flusser, of the Fourth Texas Infantry, 
oldest son of Charles T. and Juliana Flusser, of this city. 

On the 19th April, 1864, Charles W. Flusser, Lieut.-Com- 
mander U. S. N., second son of Charles T. and Juliana Flusser, 
from a wound received while in command of U. S. steamer Miami, 
in the attack on Plymouth, N. C. 

On the 8th inst. on the battlefield at Mt. Sterling, Ky., Guy 
Flusser, Lieutenant Fourth Kentucky Confederate Cavalry, 
youngest son of Charles T. and Juliana Flusser. 


APPENDIX. 

LETTERS FROM FLUSSER TO HIS MOTHER AND SISTER. 

[Before the battle of Roanoke Island.] 

U. S. Steamer Commodore Perry, 

Pamlico Sound, N. C., January 31, 1862. 

My Darling Mamma: 

I do not like to pain you by supposing the possibility of my being killed, 
but accidents will happen in the best regulated families, and the only pain 
I feel in the contemplation of so unhappy a termination is caused by uneasi- 
ness concerning you and Fan’s future support and comfort. 


298 


Lion-Hearted Flusser. 


I have the assurance, however, that the Lord will not let those want who 
love him and do his will. But this I hope and believe you both do. 

^ vtf vl» v.O '!> - -O 

Whatever individual accidents may occur, I can say with all hope for the 
side of the Union, may God aid the right cause! If God in His judgment 
assists the side on which there is order, law, the rights of the people, free- 
dom of thought and of speech, and the hope of enlightened republicans 
throughout the world, then I am confident of victory. I think I could not 
go cheerfully into battle in a cause which I felt to be wrong, but now my 
heart and my reason tell me I am right, and I hold my life as the merest 
trifle when called upon to sacrifice it in so just a quarrel. 

I regard all wars as more or less foolish and wicked in their inception, 
all engaged in them as more or less asses. If all men thought as I think, 
no armies would ever be mustered into the fields, no navies would ever 
sweep the seas. But unfortunately I am one of the most silly and unin- 
fluential persons of the eight hundred millions on this globe. I accepted a 
position under the government of the United States a great many 
years ago. That position gave me a support and enabled me to render some 
slight assistance to my friends. To it I owe the little education (which 
ought to have been much better but that I lamentably wasted time and 
neglected opportunity) I have received. It also, as the wise world goes, 
conferred on me a certain standing in society, and which en passant none 
more heartily despises than myself. To be brief, it furnished me many 
substantial benefits and would have given me others had I stretched forth 
my hand to receive them. It seems to me that the Government has re- 
ceived a poor return from me for all these favors. My life has always 
been hers to command, but she has never called upon me to risk it. Now 
the existence of the State is imperilled, and why? Because a few unprin- 
cipled men, seeing that their employment was gone when the party was 
defeated, artfully wrought upon the feelings of an excitable minority, con- 
temptible in numbers, and falsely persuaded them that their best interests, 
their liberties, were endangered under that government whose laws were so 
mild that none but the wicked ever felt them — under that government 
framed by the wisdom of Washington and the noble Fathers of the Revolu- 
tion, that our country might be the abiding place of Liberty and a refuge 
for the oppressed of all lands : and finally under that government which is 
the slave of the people, and which, even if it so desired, was perfectly 
impotent to injure them, since the party to which this minority belonged 
was in the ascendant in both houses of the National Legislature. These 
leaders, without principle, without patriotism, would rather see their 
country — the greatest State of the world — torn into contemptible frag- 
ments each incapable of self-support and existing only through courtesy 
or forbearance of European nations, and would rather see this great 
country bleeding at every pore, her mothers childless, her wives widows, 
her houses in ashes, her altars profaned, than that they should forego 
for four short years the praise of idiots and the spoils of office. 


Lion-Hearted Flusser. 


299 


Well ! to resume about myself, my country has done great things for me 
as I have shown. Would it not be the vilest ingratitude in me to desert 
her in the hour of need? To be selfish, what has Maryland done for me? 
What has Mississippi done for me? that I should take their side against a 
government that has supported, educated, and protected me, and “ reposed 
special trust and confidence in my patriotism and fidelity and abilities ? ” 
But I state the question wrongly. I should not say what has Maryland or 
Mississippi or Kentucky done for me — I should rather say what has the 
factious, dissatisfied minority of these states done for me that I should 
prove a traitor to my trust, a rebel to my country? 

vly J/ vl/ 

'J' 'f* 

Doubtless you would like to know why I have written the above. You 
may think, though I hope you would judge me more charitably, that a 
lame conscience needs many props : that a doubting mind and infirm pur- 
pose need much show of reasoning to convince and uphold. True. But 
this is not my condition. I am fully persuaded of the justness of my cause, 
and the righteousness of my decision. My intention in the whole of this 
letter is to let you see that I am, with my whole heart, on the side of the 
Union, and to try and persuade you that I am right. 

I fear, Mamma, that your heart is with the other party, with the side on 
which poor Guy and poorer Ott are engaged. I pity Guy with my whole 
heart for the choice he has made, and I would not, for the world, believe 
him other than honest. I know him to be pure-minded and of too ardent 
a soul. He has been persuaded that the South is right, and he is ready and 
anxious to risk his life in what he thinks is her “ Cause.” Poor Ott I 
pity also. 

I should above all things, Dearest, prefer to have you with me in my 
opinion of this war and its causes. Women, I know, seldom reason. 
Where their affections lie all things are centered. It is well for the hap- 
piness of man that it should be so. But to me “ Our Side ” seems so 
palpably right, that it seems a perversion of judgment to doubt it, and I 
cannot bear to think of you as opposed to it. 

I do not ask you to love me more than Guy. If you loved me more than 
Guy, you would need no reasoning to persuade you I am right — you would 
feel it, for Guy is your youngest son and it is natural that you should love 
him most tenderly. He is also full of noble, generous thoughts, is a 
manly fellow, which is a great thing in every woman’s eye, and greater in 
a mother’s ! while I am old and mediocre and ugly and selfish. Guy has 
been at home and has endeared himself to you by his presence and by his 
tenderness, while I have been away, and when at home most uninteresting. 
I can not blame you for your choice. I approve it myself. But it is inex- 
pressibly painful to me to think that my mother, and such a mother, should 
be opposed to me in this holy cause. Just look at what I have said as to 
the cause of this war, just look at the facts elsewhere, throw all feeling 
aside, and you must be persuaded that this government is right. 

Oh Pshaw ! All this about Guy and myself is silly — weak — very weak. 
It is, after all, only a difference of opinion and one may not be responsible 
altogether for one’s opinion. Age and Education, association and local 


300 


Lion-Hearted Flusser. 


prejudice, will have a great deal to answer for to pure reason and impartial 
judgment, when the final account is rendered. And it may be that many 
of us will in these find our excuses. My letter has been suggested by the 
tone of Hope’s, which, though he said not one unkind word, seemed to me 
much less cordial than his former ones. I hope it was not intentional. In 
this is the bitterness of this unnatural strife. Not that brother should 
oppose brother, nor that father and son meet face to face on the field of 
battle, but that each should impugn the other’s motive. There are many 
friends of mine on the other side whom I may meet in fight, some whom I 
expect to meet, men of the highest honor, but faulty (in my opinion) 
judgment, and who would look on me as something vile, while I can not 
help but love and admire them. There is a great deal of hatred on their 
side, there exists none on ours. We are fighting for a noble principle. 
They persuade themselves that they are doing the same. They peril their 
all without a cause and then rally to the cry of “ Defend your firesides.” 
Oh ! the everlasting negro ! Would that he were in Africa, Christianized ! 
To me the hatred which the Southerners feel for us is horrid. If I were 
to meet one of my friends on the field of battle, and he should intentionally 
give me a death wound, I should not hate him, nor feel the least resentment 
but should say, “ Well, old fellow, I forgive you, for you thought you were 
doing your duty.” But if I should injure one of them, he would damn me 
with his latest breath. You may be sure that this difference of feeling is 
general in the two armies. I never hear a sailor or a soldier speak of the 
rebels as if he hated them : they are all anxious for a brush with them, 
but they seem to regard it as a jolly lark or as a matter of stern, unpleasant 
duty, according as levity or seriousness and thoughtfulness preponderate 
in the disposition of the individual. 

It is past eleven at night: my fire has been out for an hour: it is a 
rainy, nasty night. My feet are cold, and an unpleasant sensation in my 
throat reminds me that I am catching cold. So, good-night my darling, 
and may the Lord of Heaven and Earth watch over you and protect you 
from all manner of harm. I kiss you, dear Mamma. 

I do not know when I shall finish this scrawl. 


Pamlico Sound, N. C., February 5, 1862. Night. 

My darling Mamma: 

We got underway to-day and ran some thirty or forty miles up the 
Sound to this place, where we anchored at sunset. To-morrow our work 
will probably commence. From late, but rather meagre information a 
severe fight is now anticipated. So much the better. I called my pilot, one 
of the seamen of the vessel, a North Carolinian, into the cabin this morning, 
and directed him to run the steamer as near the batteries as the water will 
allow her to go. 

A vessel has the best chance with a battery when close to. Besides, I 
have some IX-inch shells, filled with 400 musket balls each, and a bursting 
charge of powder, which are terrible at short distances against exposed 
bodies of men. 


Lion-Hearted Flusser. 


301 


Feb. 6. 

I intended to write you a long letter this evening, bidding you a loving 
farewell, etc., but I am quite unwell — have a shocking cold, and feel very 
tired, and sleepy, so I must close. I will only say that the cause for which 
I risk and may lose my life is just, and I beg you to think of me (if I am 
killed) as dying happily, so far as I am concerned, and only disturbed and 
anxious as to your and Fan’s fate. 

I commend you both to the care of a loving and merciful Father. 

Say to Guy and to Ott that their choice has been a source of great pain 
to me. Nevertheless, I believe that they have both done what they thought 
was right, and I do not blame them, nor do I love them the less. Bid them 
both good-bye for me, give them my love.* * * * Give my love to all 

at home and at Hope’s. Kiss them for me and say I loved them well. 

I kiss you my darling and pray that our Father in Heaven may keep 
you from want here, and gather you into His Fold when this life is over. 

Your affectionate son, 

Charles. 


[Before the battle of Roanoke Island.] 

Pamlico Sound, N. C., February 5, 1862. 

My dear Fan: 

It is an axiom of mine that a man should have plenty of sleep the night 
before fighting, therefore I intend to go to bed soon — it’s now half-past 
nine in the evening. But my enevelopes are thin and the sheets which I 
wrote some days since want a cover, and I may as well put a few lines on it. 
So here goes. I have just closed Ma’s letter. If I am killed to-morrow 
let none persuade you after I am gone that the cause of the Union is 
not just, but uphold it with all your strength. With that belief firm in 
the hearts of the people we are a great nation : uproot it, and presto, 
change, we are metamorphosed into miserable, weak confederacies of 
petty, jealous sovereignties, an inviting, easy prey to every greedy third- 
class power. Strive after true religion, Fan, with all your might. (If 
’tis only the widow’s mite, ’tis your all — the best can do no more.) We 
expect a fight to-morrow; I am tired, have a bad cold, and must go 
to sleep. Good-bye, dearest Fan. Comfort Ma if I fall. I am nof 
worth mourning for; believe this and then you can persuade her. 

Your loving brother, 

Charles. 


February 8, 1862. 

I didn’t fall, thank God. 

Love to all. In great haste, 

Your affectionate brother, 

Charles. 


302 


Lion-Hearted Flusser. 


[Battle first day at Roanoke Island , February 7, 1862.] 

Off Roanoke Island, N. G, Midnight, February 7, 1862. 
My darling Mamma: 

I ought to be asleep, as I have plenty of work before me for to-morrow, 
but I must tell you that I am safe and uninjured after this day’s hard 
fighting. We have been engaged all day with a battery on shore and a 
small squadron of rebel steamers. I have fired to-day from two guns one 
hundred and ninety-six shells and shrapnel — all that I had. I have been 
nearer the enemy than any other vessel all day long. My boat is knocked 
to pieces and I have only one serious accident to report — one of my men 
has a leg broken by a splinter. I have four or five round shot in the hull, 
and four in the upper works. The Lord has been good to me ; other steam- 
ers have lost officers and men. One round shot plunged directly through 
my magazine ; had it been a shell I should probably not have written this 
note. The enemy fortunately fired no shell from their battery or my boat 
and others would have been utterly destroyed. My men are much provoked 
that we were not supported by other steamers. Unfortunately I expended 
all my loaded shell at the very time when, if I had had plenty, I would 
have silenced the battery. I had set the fort on fire and nearly silenced 
their guns when I looked about me and saw Lieutenant Chaplin close to in 
the propeller Valley City. I hailed him and asked him how he was getting 
on. He answered, “ Oh ! first rate,” and proposed that I should take the 
lead, that he would follow me and we would take the battery. I sang out 
“Agreed,” and started in toward the enemy, but had not closed more than 
three hundred yards when it was reported to me that the loaded shells were 
all gone. So I had to haul off to fill the remainder. While I was away I 
told the flag-officer why I came out, and he ordered me to fill the shells 
and follow him in, but I soon left him far behind and toward dusk had the 
honor to have the entire fire of the fort and two rebel steamers directed 
solely against my vessel. Had I not hoped to silence the battery I might 
have sunk one or both of the steamers, but as it was they peppered me and 
I did not give them a single shot in reply. 

The battery was fought beautifully, the quarters of the men and officers 
were burning the greater part of the day, still they stuck to their guns 
and served them admirably. I fired myself the larger number of shots 
from this vessel, and can’t help saying that I think the shells were well 
thrown. 

Good-night, Mamma, and God bless you. 

Charles. 


[Just after battle of Elizabeth City, February 10, 1812.] 

Off Elizabeth City, N. C., February 14, 1862. 

My darling Mamma: 

I am now here in command of three vessels, the remainder of the squad- 
ron having gone somewhere down the Sound. I have again to thank God 
for preserving my life and giving us victory. We met the enemy on the 


Lion-Hearted Flusser. 


303 


10th instant, a short distance below Elizabeth, and protected by a four-gun 
battery. They had five steamers; we had nine, but only two or three of 
ours got up in time to fight the rebel steamers. 

I was given the lead. I singled out the largest vessel, Commodore 
Lynch’s flagship, the steamer Sea Bird, and ordered my pilot to run her 
down. 

When about two hundred yards from her, and after passing through the 
fire of the battery and giving them some good shots in return, I fired a 
nine-inch shell at her, which struck her just amidships, at the water line, 
passed through her as if she was so much paper, and exploded a great 
distance beyond. I then called away boarders and ran for her, my men 
picking up their muskets, pistols and cutlasses for a hand-to-hand fight. 
When fifty yards or more from her she hauled down her flag and her com- 
mander appeared on the upper deck holding open his coat to signify that 
he had surrendered. I immediately ordered the helm put a-port and the 
steamer stopped to avoid striking him, but my men were so crazy with 
excitement and made so much noise that the helmsman could not hear, 
and so plump into her we went, smashing in her whole port bow. My men 
immediately jumped on board and I had to follow to restrain them from 
injuring the prisoners. The captain surrendered to my vessel, stated that 
he was in a sinking condition, and asked me to rescue his officers and men. 
I was anxous to secure another steamer and gave the order to back out 
and pursue when, to my inexpressible annoyance, I found that as we 
struck the Sea Bird the fastenings of our anchor went and the anchor had 
gone to the bottom ; so we were anchored and I could not move. The men 
were frantic with excitement and for ten minutes I could not get any one 
to slip the chain, then one of the engineers unshackled it, I cut the line 
which fastened us to our prize with my sword, and was just leaving when 
her captain came to me for the second or third time and begged me, for 
God’s sake, not to leave his men to drown; so to save them I reluctantly 
gave up the pursuit. While I was at anchor engaged taking the prisoners 
from the sinking vessel two small rebel steamers ran around me, firing with 
musketry at my men. I could have sunk them both with one gun each, 
but my men were so wild that I could not get them to their quarters at 
the great guns. One of these steamers came up on my starboard quarter, 
only ten or fifteen yards off, where there was not a man but myself, and 
tried to train a great gun on us. I repeatedly called the men to their guns, 
but they would not come, so as a last chance, for I felt that if the gun was 
fired I was destroyed, I drew my revolver, a small-sized Colt’s, and fired 
at the captain of the enemy’s gun. I fired three or four shots with delib- 
erate aim and saw the captain of the gun and the man on his left fall ; 
whether I hit them or not I do not know, I only know that the gun was 
not fired. 

The other little beggar came on the port bow, and her officers stuck 
muskets and pistols out of their room windows and fired at my men and 
officers. I had to use my revolver on her also. One of the rebel steam- 
ers, commanded by a very smart officer and good friend of mine, escaped. 
She might have been taken, but she was between the town and a pursuing 


304 


Lion-Hearted Flusser. 


steamer, and our officers would not fire for fear of injuring the property 
of the citizens. Yet the secessionists set the town on fire as they left. I 
would have captured Parker but for the fact of my anchor being cut adrift 
by the collision with the Sea Bird. As soon as we passed the battery we 
had an enfilading fire on it which the rebels would not stop to receive, but 
ran like good fellows, led by Lynch, who had given his vessel to his second 
in command and taken charge of the battery, in order that he might make 
his escape when the fire became too hot for him. I captured forty-two 
prisoners on board the Sea Bird, seven of them officers; one of them an 
old acquaintance of mine in our Navy, and who was glad to fall into my 
hands; another, an assistant surgeon, from Kentucky, E. Holt Jones, who 
knows all the people in Louisville whom I know. We released them all on 
parole, and I told Jones to remember me to all the good folks in Louis- 
ville, where he hopes soon to be. I sent Lynch his cloak by Dr. Jones. I 
do not know whether or not he will thank me for it. 

I had two men killed and three wounded slightly. Singular to say, both 
of my men were shot directly under the eye, and killed instantly. One 
officer was shot in the face, but having a hard cheek the ball glanced and 
did him no injury. Another officer received a slight flesh wound in the leg. 
Two of my prisoners were wounded seriously, and one of them mortally 
by the premature discharge of a gun. One of the rebel prisoners, Lieuten- 
ant Cooke, formerly of our Navy, told me that his men had orders to fire 
at the officers. I hold him that I had given the same orders to my soldiers, 
for I thought his men were half inclined to come over to us. I think now 
their soldiers and sailors are nearly tired of the war. My prisoners (the 
officers) thanked me when they left for my kind treatment. I gave them 
plenty of whisky to console them and surrendered my cabin to them. 
Whisky, by the way, is a scarce article here; it sells at four dollars a 
gallon and can hardly be found at that price. The poor here are suffering 
severely. We have had to give away some provisions to save them from 
starving. I gave a man yesterday one of the blankets from my bed and a 
quilt which Dr. Jones left aboard, and which I think came from Lynch’s 
cabin. 

I believe I might have talked over some of the prisoners ; they would have 
been easily persuaded; but delicacy forbade me to approach such a topic. 
Yesterday four of our steamers went up to Edenton and destroyed some 
great guns, the troops flying as we appeared in town. While destroying 
the guns an old lady came up and claimed my protection. “ Protection 
against what or whom, Madam?” I asked. “Why,” said she in great 
astonishment, “Are you not going to burn the town down?” I told her 
we came there to fight those in arms against us and to destroy arms, etc., 
and not to injure helpless people, but it was only after repeated assevera- 
tions of our good-will toward the people that I could induce her to leave 
me. 

I had the principal men of the place before me and made them a strong 
Union speech, to which there was no response, probably because my men 
were not very far off, but I think because it was unanswerable. Ah, a war 
is the thing to develop one’s talents ! I never before dreamed that I had 


Lion-Hearted Flusser. 


305 


the impudence to mount a platform in the open street and make a political 
speech. Whether my arguments convinced them or not I do not know, 
but I do know that the price of turkeys was raised in an hour from $1.75 
to $4.00 a pair. We brought away six bales of contraband cotton. I for- 
got to mention that in addition to my man-of-war prize, I captured on the 
10th a schooner, and another night before last, loaded with corn bound to 
Norfolk, worth about four thousand dollars. I have been engaged all day 
destroying gun carriages and a gun. We have taken or destroyed since we 
left Roanoke some thirty great guns, beside a large number of muskets and 
other small arms. The rebel steamers had rifled cannon far superior to 
ours at long range, but we sold them by coming to close quarters. Though 
we have not five hundred men in our nine steamers, rumor has it that we 
landed ten thousand men at Elizabeth City and as many more at Edenton. 
The rebels have a great scare on, and if we follow up our victories promptly 
the whole State is ours. It is said that we have much severer fighting to 
do than we have yet done. The Lord has kindly protected me from all 
injury so far, and I pray that he will keep me from harm in our future 
battles, as I pray every night for you and Fan. It is late, dearest, and my 
fire is out. Good night. I kiss you, dearest Mamma. 

Your affectionate son, 

Charles. 


U. S. S. Commodore Perry, New Berne, N. C., March 15, 1862. 
My darling Mamma: 

We took this place yesterday after some severe fighting on the part of 
the Army ; our part was easily done. The loss of the Army is large ; the 
Navy lost no one. 

The defenses were immense, and I can only account for our success by 
believing Providence to be with us. 

My boat was ahead during the fighting, but after the hauling down of the 
rebel flags I grounded in attempting to pass the barricade which the rebels 
had placed in the river, and was last in at the triumphal entry. Never- 
theless, I succeeded in capturing a Confederate schooner, unarmed but 
valuable. Tell Fan to destroy the copies of the reports I sent her to keep. 
I altered my report. 

I am sore in every muscle. It has been a great effort to write this. 

Your affectionate son, 

Charles. 

P. S. — The rebels, as is their custom now, in their flight set fire to the 
town in many places and burned the fine railroad bridge over the river; 
the latter was to save themselves from pursuit. 

As soon as we anchored I took a boat, went ashore, pressed every man 
I saw, white and black, into service, manned the engines, and succeeded in 
allaying the fierceness of the flames. This was done without orders and in 
answer to the prayers of the poor people who begged me for protection. 
Yet we are called Hessians, vandals, and all other vile names. 

Good-bye. 


3°6 


Lion-Hearted Flusser. 


U. S. S. Commodore Perry, 

Elizabeth City, N. C., io h. p. m., 28th April, 1862. 
My darling Mamma: 

The Commodore has been here for some days past and I have spent 
several hours of each day on board of his vessel talking over plans of 
attack and defense, etc., etc. — all nonsense. But my time has been so 
much engaged that I have had no opportunity to write you. Time flies 
even while one talks nonsense. I wish he would go away, though he’s a 
good fellow and thinks I am a trump. 

You may judge how much he esteems me, when I tell you that I have 
command here of eight or nine steamers, with a chance of meeting the 
enemy, while four officers, my seniors, command at different points, only 
their single ships. Or, rather that was the case for several weeks, but now 
the second in command has gone home on sick leave, the third to get a 
new steamer, and the other two remain as stated above. The reason of 
the beggars not complaining is that they think I will be made a commander 
— another that they like me. 

I do not expect promotion, but if the enemy will only send some iron- 
clad gunboats down Dismal Swamp Canal while I am in command here, I 
think I should soon stand a fair chance of going up to next grade. 

Remember, Mamma, all this is entre nous , sub rosa, etc., etc. The above 
is terribly egotistical, but I am pleased with my egotism when writing to 
you — for to you I like to write my thoughts as they are, and not as other 
men hear them expressed. Though I fear of late I have spoken my 
thoughts rather too plainly of several persons, from any one of whom I 
might receive a challenge. But do not be alarmed, that folly is dead 
with me. I don't think I should fight another duel. Nevertheless, I went 
from here the other day to Roanoke Island to take a colonel in the Army 
to task for a disagreeable remark with every prospect of a duel ahead. 
Some days since, I arranged an expedition for a certain service to South 
Mills. Five regiments were sent up, and after whipping the enemy, re- 
treated during the night, on learning that he was reinforced. The enemy 
thought that they were surrounded and retreated also. The expedition 
retreated without having accomplished its object. I early received the 
news of the enemy’s running and hastened down the river to bring back 
the army — but too late — they had left two or three hours before I arrived. 
The night of their arrival here, I was in a small boat, landed them all, 
men, horses, carts, and field pieces, worked all night long, and at day- 
break received word from the general in command that it was absolutely 
necessary to destroy a certain bridge. I got underway in five minutes, ran 
up the river and tore away the bridge — ran right through it with my 
steamer. I then pushed ahead with the small steamers without orders, 
and in one of them, after immense labor, got within a couple of miles of 
the battle-field, when an order reached me by a rowboat from the com- 
modore to have my forces out of the river by nightfall. This was impos- 
sible. The river was so narrow that after receiving the order I ran a 
quarter of a mile ahead to get a chance to turn, found I could not turn, 


Lion-Hearted Flusser. 


307 


and had to drop down stern foremost upwards of a mile before I could 
turn a boat ninety feet in length. I did not get down to my own vessel till 
next morning, when I learned of the retreat of our forces and received 
an order to remain in the river till noon to prevent an advance of the 
enemy on the army while embarking. While here I picked up two officers 
and forty soldiers who had fallen down, exhausted by the long march, and 
who were very glad to be saved from a Richmond tobacco-house-jail. I 
planned the expedition, landed the forces, and covered their retreat. And 
after all this a miserable colonel remarked to one of the subordinate naval 

officers who was engaged in embarking the runaways, that he was 

tired of doing the Navy's fighting for them. As soon as I heard of the 
remark I asked permission of the commodore to go to Roanoke Island 
(I had some duty there also, and combined duty and pleasure). Leave was 
granted and away I went. I could not find the officer who made the 
remark, but I said to Colonel Hawkins, who commands the post, that in 
my opinion, the person who made that remark was much indisposed to 
fight at all — in any cause — and that he was an ass, all of which I desired 
him to repeat to the person offending. 

vjj \t / yg 

^ 

On the morning when the bridge was destroyed, as I moved up the river, 
I caught some of the enemy’s cavalry napping : the men were in a house, 
about three-quarters of a mile from the river bank, and their horses in the 
stable near, some men just saddling their beasts when I caught sight of 
them and sent some IX-inch and 30-pounder shell into the house and into 
the stable. It was a beautiful sight to see them in their bewilderment run 
first to the stable and then away again without their horses. I fired every 
shot myself and I know they told. I do not think many were hurt, but I 
struck the house beautifully. They do not send their troops quite so near 
now. At present the town is held by the naval forces without a single 
man beng ashore, notice having been given the enemy that if he entered 
the town we should fire on him. We had allowed him to hold it and spy 
out our movements quite long enough. 

Apropos of spies, these secession troops, I fancy, think nothing is known 
to us of what they do on shore; but they scarcely make a movement of 
which I am not informed and sometimes even know those which are con- 
templated. I had a man on shore the other night who went into the camp 
and talked with the soldiers unsuspected. A few nights after that he was 
again on board of my vessel, and in a few nights more was here guiding 
our troops against them. So much for keeping a good lookout on the 
enemy. 

It is now 12 o’clock and time to say good-night. 

Remember me kindly to all who care for me. I do not wish to hear 
anything more about Guy’s being in a loyal state, unless he is a prisoner 
or comes to deliver himself up to the United States authorities. 

If I was at home and knew of his skulking about the city, seeking 
21 


3°8 


Lion-Hearted Flusser. 


recruits or acting the spy, I should have him arrested though he were shot 
for it. I love him but I love my country (or myself — I don’t know which 
it is) more. 

Again, love to all. Ask Miss Sarah to write to me. Write yourself, fre- 
quently, and make Fan write often. 

May God bless you, dearest, is the constant prayer of 

Your affectionate son, 

Charles. 


U. S. S. Commodore Perry, 

Pasquotank River, N. C., May 13, 1862. 

My dear Mamma : 

\l/ xl/ xlr vt* J/ 

'I' ^ ^ »}' 

Pve been moving armies and fleets, running off negroes, buying up infor- 
mation, and been so busy withal for the last few weeks that I have not had 
time to be sick, and am really much better. Only last night I started off 
into the country with 120 men, went back some three miles from the boats, 
taking from the houses on the roadside all the men and carrying them with 
us, to prevent them from giving information to the rebel troops in the 
vicinity of our movements. Arrived at our destination, the house of a 
farmer where was concealed the apparatus stolen from one of the Govern- 
ment lighthouses, the building was surrounded, and he was aroused and 
summoned to deliver it up to us. He made no objection to giving up the 
plunder, but begged me to prevent my men from insulting his wife, who 
w r as in a delicate condition, so called, I presume, because women are then, 
by a kind provision of Providence, most robust. I placed a guard over 
the house with orders to allow no one to leave it, and none of my people 
to enter. We then pressed his carts into service and with two others 
pressed from the neighbors we started back, making the farmer and a negro 
drive the carts. We were gone from our vessels eight hours, and not a 
Southern soldier knew anything of our doings till next morning, though 
our farmer driver, who was a warm secessionist, cried “gee ” and “ haw ” 
to his oxen loud enough to wake the dead. My men were greatly disap- 
pointed at not meeting a newly-raised cavalry company which generally 
scours the country round about the scene of our operations at night. Maybe 
the scamps did know of our doings, but deeming prudence the better part 
of valor preferred to keep out of sight. 

Our secession friend was so surprised at the kind treatment he received 
at our hands that he offered, unsolicited, to bring down any part of the 
apparatus which a more patient search in the daytime might reveal. We 
marched, going out, three miles in quick time, and I think I was as much 
fatigued on our return as I should be after three months on shore from a 
march of twenty-five miles. 


Lion-Hearted Flusser. 


309 


Plymouth, Roanoke River, May 16, 1862. 

Since writing the above I have taken possession of three rebel towns, and 
captured a rebel steamer loaded with provisions for the Southern Army 
and the church bells of this place, which were en route to Richmond to be 
cast into howitzers for the rebel Army. To-day I captured a rebel major 
for violating his parole and distressing Union people. It is very pleasant 
to witness the childish delight of these poor people at being rid of the 
horrid despotism which has ground them into the dust for months past. 
To sell us an egg or a fowl is made punishable with death. If a man 
dares to say he likes the Union as it was, he is shut up in prison far from 
his family and tried for treason — sometimes executed without trial. Thank 
God, our time has come now and I intend to improve it. I shall arrest 
every prominent secessionist near the water courses of Albemarle Sound. 
With four boats I penetrated yesterday to the head of the Cashai River, 
where none but the smallest vessels have heretofore been. The people 
could scarcely credit the evidence of their eyes when we appeared off the 
place. I found a quantity of Confederate stores, which I ordered distrib- 
uted to the poor. I at first intended burning them, but a poor widow begged 
me with tears in her eyes not to set fire to the house containing the stores 
for fear her home would be destroyed. I said, “ Do not be uneasy, Madam, 
rather than burn your dwelling the Confederate Army should have the 
stores.” As I turned away she said, “ God bless your cause, sir.” And I 
thought the widow’s blessing of more value to the cause than many times 
the stores. 

I remained at Windsor until near sunset, and to the surprise of the 
people managed to turn my steamers ; they all said the river was not so 
wide as the boats were long. 

Some silly fellow said if we staid twenty-four hours there we should 
have some soldiers to meet us, on which I told the people if they would 
get us up a dance I should remain all night. If the soldiers had wanted to 
meet us they had the chance, for I moved only a mile down the river, when 
it became so dark that I had to tie up to a tree for the night. 

While going up we frequently saw the second steamer ahead of us going 
in a directly opposite direction to that we were steering, and while she was 
in a direct line not fifty yards from us, by the river she was four hundred, 
sometimes less, sometimes more. We could touch at the same time the 
trees on both banks and had to cut away limbs which projected over the 
stream. These North Carolinians now think we can run on a heavy dew 
or a moist sponge. 

To-night I received information that some 200,000 pounds of bacon for 
the Confederate Army was stored near here and being rapidly removed, 
also that a large quantity of wheat was at a mill hard by, waiting its turn 
to be converted into flour for the same delightful gentlemen. To-morrow, 
God willing, I shall destroy both. 

To-day I took the first drink for eight years. The doctor has prescribed 
for me a glass of Scuppernong wine three times daily. I do not know that 
I shall take it, though I fancy it might do me good. 


3io 


Lion-Hearted Flusser. 


Some Union people here said to me to-day, “ Only stay here and protect 
us, sir, and we will send you all the poultry, eggs, milk, fruit, and what- 
ever else we have that you want.” One man said, “ I do not wish you to 
pay me anything.” “ But,” I said, “ I desire to pay, sir, for whatever I get.” 
He declared he would take no money from me, that he had plenty — silver 
and gold. He said when Sumter fell he knew what must follow, and he 
had never received any Confederate money. Confederate notes will scarcely 
go here now at all. The people here are in my power, for I have pos- 
session of the rivers and can cut off their supply of fish, on which they 
principally subsist. I have informed the mayor of this place that if 
reliable proof is brought to me that the fish reach the Confederate Army 
I shall seize all the seines and break up the business. 

What a glorious fight our Navy had near New Orleans. Beside it, our 
operations here sink into insignificance, though we have taken two hundred 
guns. A good friend of mine there commanded the Cayuga. The papers 
will tell you how she was handled. 

The Navy, thank God, has performed its part well in this war. I seized 
in the customhouse here yesterday the apparatus of a light-boat which the 
rebels had stolen. Fve written enough. Good-bye. 

Your affectionate son, 

Charles. 


U. S. S. Commodore Perry, 

Off Plymouth, N. C., May 28, 1862. 

My darling Mamma: 

******** 

I have tried to do everything for the Cause here, but obstinacy, preju- 
dice, and laziness on our own side have defeated nearly all. I feel confi- 
dent that I could have this State in the Union at this time had I had the 
distribution and control of the Army and Naval forces down here. I have 
written and recommended till I am tired and disgusted, and I only wish 
my letters were public instead of unofficial. If my advice had been acted 
on we might now have several loyal regiments of North Carolinians in 
the field. I have begged for arms, and promised to raise men if they could 
be armed and equipped. There are plenty of muskets and plenty of ammu- 
nition lying idle, but for some unknown reason the good people of this 
State cannot be supplied. One regiment of North Carolinians would be 
worth three regiments of Northern soldiers to our cause, by reason of the 
good influence they would exert on their families, their friends, and the 
people of their State. 

But, bah ! Pm disgusted and can’t write more. Good-night. 

Your affectionate son, 

Charles. 


Lion-Hearted Flusser. 


3ii 


My dear Mamma: 


U. S. S. Commodore Perry, 

Plymouth, N. C., August 4, 1862. 


The enemy has been threatening to come down and destroy this town 
lately, so we have been on the qui vive. 

As they delayed so long the execution of their threat, we went up after 
them. 

We had a running fight of an hour, the rebels firing with muskets from 
a high bank where they were concealed. 

They killed two of our men and wounded eight or ten. They report 
none injured, but they buried six men in Williamston the next day, whom 
they reported as belonging to us. 

I landed at Hamilton with one hundred and fifty men and a field piece 
and offered them fight, but they declined. 

I have been twice since then to Williamston getting an opportunity to 
throw some shells at the rebels from a distance, but they skedaddled on 
our near approach. 

The rebel cavalry skulk about here to capture our officers who wander 
outside our pickets, but I drove twenty miles before breakfast two or three 
days since unmolested. 

I was chased into town the other day by some of our own cavalry visiting 
from Washington, N. C., whom I mistook for secesh. The colonel, an old 
friend of mine, had a hearty laugh at me. 

I think I was never in a more unpleasant position for fifteen minutes. 
I had a lady and infant under my charge, the former very much fright- 
ened. I was very anxious to give the alarm to our troops in town, anxious, 
of course, not to be captured, and yet could not leave the frightened girl. 
When we reached the nearest picket, the cavalry, yet awhile believed to be 
secesh, were not more than five hundred yards behind me. 

Your affectionate son, 

Charles. 


U. S. S. Miami, Plymouth, N. C., April 12, 1864. 

My dear Fan: 

^ vL. v vl/ 

^ 

The rebs promise to fight us this week with the ironclad ram, for which 
I have been watching so long, and eleven thousand men. I wish our gar- 
rison was one-third as strong. I don’t know whether the scamps will 
come or not, but will be prepared by day after to-morrow to give them a 
good fight so far as the boats are concerned. The long-shore people must 
look out for themselves while we afloat destroy the Sheep — the name we’ve 
given the ironclad because we thought it would not show fight. It will 
prove to be a formidable antagonist, and we will have our hands full to 
whip it. Fortunately it will not be many minutes after her appearance 
before the result of the passage at arms is known. 


312 


Lion-Hearted Flusser. 


I wrote the admiral to send me some good shot to penetrate her armor 
and I should need no more boats. Fact is I look on her as peculiarly my 
own. I am prepared for a very desperate fight, and think unless Fortune 
frown outrageously on me my arrangements will defeat her. 

The plan to fight her was the result of long thought and some anxiety. 

While I was lying sick abed she was reported coming down the river. I 
was awake and trying to read, but was not satisfied with my preparations, 
and read without understanding, thinking all the while of her. At 4 o’clock 
in the morning I had found what I wanted, and turning to a friend who 
was smoking by my bedside, and who was formerly in the Navy, I gave 
him my plan. He expressed his delight and his entire confidence of suc- 
cess. The next day it was made known to several officers, and its advan- 
tages were so evident that all immediately approved. I feel gratified at 
having received the happy thought. I think there is no instance on record 
of a fight on the plan I intended to pursue. 

In fifteen minutes after we get to close quarters my commission as com- 
mander is secured or I am a dead man. 

I am aware that the result of these rests with God. I shall not 
fail to ask his aid, but do not think the rebel cause so good that we have 
any reason to fear the end. 

vU \U 

/JK 'l' 'j' 'I' '| x 

Your affectionate brother, 

Charles. 


[Letters from Flusser to Davenport.] 

U. S. S. Miami, Plymouth, N. C., April 17, 1864. 

Sir: 

The enemy are about the town. They have fired on us to-day pretty 
lively. The Ceres, (with her usual bad luck), had one killed and several 
wounded. 

I expect an attack about daylight to-morrow. I feel confident of success, 
so far as we (the navy) are concerned. My plan of defense prevents me 
giving the army what aid I should wish before the ram is whipped. You 
need not be uneasy as to the result. I have written the admiral as I 
write you. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, 

C. W. Flusser, Lieutenant-C ommander. 

Commander H. K. Davenport, 

Senior Naval Owcer, 

Inland Waters of North Carolina, 

U. S. S. Hetsel, New Berne, N. C. 

Over-private — 

I wish you could be here to-morrow to see as nice a little fight “ as ever 
you see.” 


Lion-Hearted Flusser. 


313 


[Flusser s last letter.] 

Miami, Plymouth, N. C., 18 April, 1864. 

My dear Davenport: 

The army has been engaged with the enemy, off and on, all day. About 
sunset the rebs advanced along our whole line but were driven back. They 
were obstinate and continued to fight till near 9 o’clock. The Southfield and 
Miami took part and the general says our firing was admirable. 

I am fearful for Fort Gray. The enemy has established a battery of 
long-range guns above it, with which they would sink all our boats if we 
went near enough to the fort to fire grape and canister into the enemy’s 
infantry. They sunk the army steamer Bombshell to-day, temporarily 
under command of Ensign Stokes, who fought her well. I gave the army 
to-day one hundred projectiles for 100-pdr. Parrott. Please send powder, 
shot and shells for that gun, for IX-inch, and for XX-pdr. Parrott. The 
ram will be down to-night or to-morrow; she was, just after daylight this 
morning, foul of a tree six miles above Williamston. I think, if she does 
not stay under cover of their battery established above Fort Gray, that we 
shall whip her. I had to destroy the obstruction in the Thoroughfare, as 
the Whitehead was above and could not run by the battery placed below 
her on the Roanoke. 

I have written the admiral. The 85th redoubt repulsed three obstinate 
assaults, but the enemy remain near it. 

In great haste, yours sincerely, 

C. W. Flusser. 

Commander H. K. Davenport, &c., &c., &c. 

Remember me to your officers. Did not know this sheet was blotted till 
I wrote the other side. 


















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